55 Reasons why everyone should visit Hungary at least once

Ever since I found out about my Hungarian ancestry as a kid, I’ve been inspired to learn more and eager to visit Hungary. In the recent years, I’ve been exploring the country quite a lot, and last summer, especially when Christine and I did a road trip by train from Budapest to Eger, Miskolc, Tokaji, Debrecen and back to Budapest!

This article is a tribute to my Hungarian heritage and my grandfather Geza Waltner, who lives in the small but charming town of Sajószentpéter.

If you haven’t yet been, I urge you to go and experience all that Hungary has to offer. Here are 55 reasons why I think everyone should visit Hungary at least once in their life!

1. Food

One of the first things that come to mind when I think about Hungary is the food. There are so many delicious and flavorful dishes to try. Below are some notable dishes that are traditional in the Hungarian kitchen.

Pörkölt

Gulyas

Halászlé

Meggyleves

Rakott Krumpli

Húsleves

Töltött Paprika

Lecso

Paprikás Csirke

Töltött káposzta

2. Esztergom

An old city that already existed during Roman times and the former capital of Hungary between the 900’s and 1200’s, before King Bela IV moved the capital to Buda. The famous basilica is also the largest church in all of the country.

Esztergom is surely another good reason to visit Hungary beyond Budapest!

3. Fisherman’s Bastion

Few attractions have caught my eyes like the Fisherman’s Bastion and Mathias Church next to it. This place is like taken out of a fairytale, but it’s very real, and you can walk here yourself.

If you come here early in the morning, you can almost imagine walking around in a scene from the Lord of the Rings!

4. Tokaji Aszu

Probably the best sweet wine in the world. It’s so delicious. The first time you try it, make sure to select a good quality Tokaji Aszu with at least 5 puttonyos.

5. Architecture

Everywhere you go in Hungary, you will see old and beautiful architecture. In Budapest, you can walk around a whole day, just looking at old buildings and still haven’t seen them all.

But also in other cities you will see some impressive architecture!

6. Lillafüred

Famous for the natural caves and the Palace hotel in neo-Renaissance style as well as being home to the highest waterfall in Hungary.

7. Interesting and unique folk tradition

Hungarian culture and traditions are some of the best-preserved ones in Europe. They go back to the old days, and as a tourist, it will be very interesting to attend events and festivals.

8. Aggtelek

A world heritage site and also the longest stalactite cave system in Europe. If you like to explore underground, then you shouldn’t miss Aggtelek in Northeastern Hungary!

9. It’s still affordable as a tourist

While prices have increased in Budapest in recent years, it’s still very much affordable to visit Hungary as a tourist. You can see a lot of things, use public transportation, eat lots of food and have a good time without breaking the bank.

The same goes for hotel and spa experiences. You can stay at a luxury hotel here for at least half the price compared to cities like London or Paris.

10. Budapest

One of my absolute favorite cities worldwide. There are just so many attractions, spa, neighborhoods, nature, cafés, bars and shopping that you could stay here forever and never get bored. As a tourist, you will probably only stay for a couple of days, but you’ll definitely want to come back!

13. Hollókö

14. Balaton Sound and Sziget Festival

If you like to party with people from all over the world, you should visit Hungary when Balaton Sound or Sziget Festival is ongoing. I will let the videos talk for the festivals, and if you like it, then you know that you have to come!

16. Lake Heviz

The world’s largest thermal lake can be found in Heviz, close to the Balaton Lake. Another good reason to visit Hungary!

See the best hotels in Hungary

17. Pálinka

The national liquor of Hungary is said to cure everything from a broken heart to the common cold. Whether that’s true or not I will leave others to say, but I will tell you to try Pálinka as it’s a very tasteful spirit.

An old Hungarian saying is “what can be used to prepare jam can also be used to produce pálinka” and there are several fruits that can be used to produce this spirit. However, the most common ones are plums, apricots, apples, pears, and cherries

18. The Kiskunság National Park

A UNESCO biosphere reserve that is one of the most characteristic geographic areas in Hungary.

There are many tourist trails, study trails and lookouts, within the national park; all contributing to a unique experience of the Kiskunság. The main visitor’s center of the Kiskunság National Park, called the ‘House of Nature’, is situated in Kecskemét.

19. There’s a statue that will make you a great writer

According to the legend, you shall become a great writer if you touch the pen of the anonymous statue.

20. Enjoy the best thermal baths

Hungary, and especially Budapest are famous worldwide for the thermal baths. Here you can see the outdoor pool of Szechenyi Bath which I can highly recommend!

21. Sopron

One of the oldest cities in Hungary. Here you will find plenty of beautiful buildings and the medieval Inner Town, which is mostly intact. Notable attractions are the neo-Gothic Ursuline Church, the historic Firewatch Tower, and the ornate City Hall.

24. Biggest synagogue in Europe

25. Hungarian wines

Already mentioned Tokaji Aszu might be the most famous Hungarian wine.

But there are also white and red wines of great quality. Pictured is the Egri Bikaver, also known as “bull’s blood” that you can find in Eger. The wine region of Tokaji also produces white wines of different grapes and level of sweetness.

If you’re a wine lover like me, you have to visit Hungary! It’s also very affordable to go wine tasting.

26. Gulyás (goulash)

The most famous Hungarian dish definitely deserves a special spot on this list. It’s one of my favorite dishes, but Gulyás or Goulasch will probably not be the same in Hungary as you got it served in your home country.

It will be a lot more flavorful when you eat it here, especially at a real local restaurant or in a family home.

27. Szeged

Also known as the city of sunshine as it has more sunny days of all the Hungarian cities. You should go here during summer when there are lots of events going on, such as when Dóm Square is transformed into an open-air theater.

28. Szentendre

This quaint little town is just a stone’s throw away from Budapest, which also makes this place one of the most popular places to visit in Hungary. Szentendre is famous for being an artsy place with lots of galleries, and one of Hungary’s most famous museums – Skanzen.

29. Off the beaten tourist path

Except for Budapest, the rest of the country will not be crowded with tourists most of the times. Hungary could be considered as an off the beaten path destination, which makes it even more exciting to explore!

30. Hortobágy national park

Here you will find the Puszta, a world heritage site filled with folklore, culture and the great plain.

32. Somlói Galuska

33. Pécs

Due to its Roman history and the surrounding vineyards, Pecs has got the nickname “city of Mediterranean impressions”. Pecs is located on the slopes of the Mecsek mountains in the south-west of the country.

A charming city that is definitely another good reason why you should visit Hungary!

34. Hungarian sausage

There are many different sausages in the Hungarian cuisine. This particular one is one of the famous ones, Gyulai Kolbasz, which is normally eaten as a cold-cut.

35. Balaton Lake

Also known as the Hungarian sea, although it’s not a sea, but rather the biggest lake in Europe. Every summer you will see this area really come to live with tourists coming from nearby countries and other places in Hungary as well.

Siofok is a very popular place to go in Balaton Lake area, but there are also places where you can find tranquility and almost no people at all.

36. Fascinating language

If you’re lucky you will understand some words here and there. Most European languages share lots of common words, but the Hungarian language is from another group. It’s not a Germanic or Latin language. It belongs to the Uralic language family as Finno-Ugric, with similarities to Finnish and Estonian.

It’s a very special language and I’m sure you will find it fascinating too!

37. Unicum

Traditional herbal liqueur or bitters, drunk as a digestif or apéritif. It’s regarded as one of the national drinks, and with its distinct flavor, it’s surely another good reason to visit Hungary!

38. Hungarian Porcelain

Perfect to bring home as a souvenir.

See the best hotels in Hungary

39. Hortobágyi palacsinta

Another delicious Hungarian dish that you have to try when you visit Hungary!

40. Eger

An ancient city that might be most famous for its castle, wine and of course the place where just about 2100 people fought against 80 000 invading Ottoman warriors back in the 1500’s. Today, Eger is a peaceful town and definitely a place you should visit.

It’s very charming with lots of historical buildings and a lovely spa.

41. Lavender

The first lavender farm was settled in Tihany back in 1920’s, and nowadays you can find lavender products in many places. A great souvenir to bring back home!

42. Nightlife

If you go to Budapest, you will be able to experience some of the best and most unique nightlife in all of Europe. With all the ruin bars and new places that are popping up, you will always have a good time.

And alcohol is cheap too!

41. Paprika

No food in Hungary would be the same without Paprika, and here you will find it sweet, spicy and several colors! Paprika Powder is a very important ingredient in the Hungarian cuisine.

43. Sport

No, I’m not talking about a sport as an activity, but rather as the Hungarian chocolate bar with the same name – Sport.

49. Kékes

50. Debrecen

The second most populated city in Hungary is another stunning place to visit. Here below is the Cathedral on the main square.

51. Szaloncukor

Christmas candy that is usually made of fondant and covered by chocolate. You hang these in the Christmas tree. It is said that every Christmas each household will consume 1.5 kilos of Szaloncukor, so of course, they’re delicious!

52. Kürtöskalács

Another sweet treat that you will find in several places is the Kürtöskalács. While you can have it plain, it’s more common to top it with ground walnut or powdered cinnamon or even chocolate.

53. Tokaj

Not only does the Tokaj region produce some fine wine, the region is also home to some charming villages. When you go outside of the villages you can see the vineyards scattered across the landscape.

A great place for a calm and relaxing vacation!

54. Miskolc

The fourth largest city in Hungary is also worth a visit to the Castle of Diósgyőr and the wooden church. From Miskolc, it’s also easy to get to Bukk National Park and Lillafüred.

Photo: József Birincsik

55. Beautiful People

Both Hungarian men and women are famed for their beauty, but it’s not only the outside appearance that is beautiful, also the inside. Hungarians hold on to tradition and culture. The hospitality is great too, and guests are being well-taken care of.

I would also recommend trying to learn a few Hungarian words and sentences, it will be much appreciated, especially among older generations as they will probably not be fluent in English.

Just a few words like Szia (hello) or even better Jó Napot kivánok (polite way of saying good day) or Köszönöm (Thank you), or even better Köszönöm szépen (Thank you very much) will bring some smiles while you travel around Hungary!

Thanks. I shared it on my Facebook, so all my friends can see it’s not only me beating the drum. Foreigners share my opinion to. Next time you should go to Gyula. It’s a little jewellery box. Transport wise it is a nightmare ( southeast Hungary ) but worth to go there. The only intact brick built fortress in central Europe, great aqua park ( every year in the top 10 ), it’s the home town of Erkel ( the house is a museum now ), great architecture ( palace, patisserie from the time of the monarchy ) . It’s much cheaper than the western side of the country.

I wanted to write the same thing. Next time you should definitely visit Gyula. You can get there within 3 hours from Budapest by train, and it is one of the most amazing places in Hungary. My favourite exhibition is to be found at the Andrássy Mansion.

Every year in October, Bekescsaba hosts the 4 days long Csabai sausage festival, which is the largest gastronomic festival in Hungary, and the world’s largest sausage festival, with more than 100, 000 paticipants. If you are in Hungary during October, you deffinitely should go to this fascinating Csabai sausage festival in Bekescsaba.

Great article! In addition to Debrecen, you should definitely see the annual flower carnival (Virágkarnevál) on 20th August, where artists create flower sculptures and heavily decorated cars to celebrate Hungary’s foundation and the first king.

Thx the visit. I hope, you had a great time in here. Some ttips for your next trip :) #43 it’s nothing, the best is the Túró Rudi #25 the Egri Bikavér is the wine of the tourists. If you want a reali good wine in Eger, try a kékfrankos rose or a cabernet savignon. I can recommend the Hangácsi pincészet. #22 Dobos cake ist just the begining. There are zserbó, rétes, eszterházi, rákóczi túrós, NOSZTALGIA KRÉMES, etc… #20 Egerszalók, Hévíz, Hajdúszoboszló, Gyula, Zalakaros… #56 Dentistry. Half of Europe goes here for a dentist.

Just in Hungary this past summer, seeing the pictures brought back so many found memories. We traveled in 7 days from one side of the country to the other meeting family along the way. I will definitely be back to visit.

Thank you so much for this compilation that showcases the beauty and flavors of my country! I will definitely share it on Facebook to entice my friends to visit. (One bit of correction, though, on #36: the Finno-Ugric theory has been discredited and proven false, hut don’t get me started on that topic…)

Thank you very much for your words! I live far away from Hungary but as I read about home, tears came into my eyes. I cannot das how thankful I am that your shared your thoughts with the world how beautiful that little country is!!!

Hi! I recommend to you Somogy county with it’s many-many little villages too. The shire town is Kaposvár, where you can see lots of museums, famous theatre, thermal spa, etc. And we always get an award in the Entente Florale Europe competition. In the near there is the Zselicségi protected area, with beautiful tour routes, and in the middle there is a stellar sky preserve, the Zselici Star Park.The observatory organize a lot of interesting programs. Also you need to see The Ruins of the Szent Egyed Abbey of Somogyvár, the Krisna-valley of Somogyvámos, the deer ranch of Bőszénfa, the Skansen of Szenna, the Katica Tanya experience center of Patca, the foliature nature trail of Kaszó, the castle museum of Várda, and try the thermal spa of Igal. And so many interesting and beautiful places in Somogy waiting for you to see.

Thank you for your comment! I guess also, that Somogy county is not only Balaton, but much more! Kaposvar gives a special feeling of tranquility! Its main place was chosen nicest main place of Europe in his category! There is very nice also home museum of Hungary’s most famous impressionist painter Józse Rippl-Rónai in Róma villa!

I would also recommend to visit the Dunakanyar (Danube – knee) a wonderful place surrounded by mountains with a beautiful sight from Visegrád Castle (castle of King Mátyás).You can take a trip with a ship from Budapest to Esztergom and enjoy the view.

Hi! My city is Sajoszentpeter!!! Like your grandfather!!! Many many beautifull city in Hungary!! And the food its the most delicious in Europe!! And the hungarian language is the one of the hardest language in the world!!! Thanks for visiting our country!!!!

I live in Pécs, and I can tell you it has full of sights and nice places to visit. It’s a city of culture. It often has a national theatre, and a great concert hall called Kodály Centre. Also the world famous Zsolnay porcelain is produced here.

No.3 – the Fisherman’s Bastion is in the Buda Castle in the capital. This castle district sustained heavy demage during World War II due to heavy fighting, after the war some buildings were demolished, others were “simplified” – by the communists. Currently there is a major restoration plan ongoing. It’s aim is to restore the prewar beauty of the castle. The first buildings being rebuilt (and due to open in 2018) are the royal barracks, the royal stables, and a beautiful stairway between the two.

It is so heart warming to see such nice words to see! I hope this will guide some or even large ammount of people to come and visit Hungary. Does not matter when you come the cities & sights will be there and we welcome guests!

I would say Keszthely! It’s beautiful. They make lots of porcelain dolls and the tower of Keszthely has a great historical story. And of course Dobogókő! It is said to be the centre of Earth. If you are there you feel safe and it clears your mind and soul! I would definitely recommend it;)

You can’t forget Túró Rudi! :-) I recommend the city of Balatonfüred, the capital of the Balaton! 4 km away from here is Tihany with the most beautiful view onto the Balaton (from the church). Google it! Nice to see you again! :-)

Very nice must-see tips in this beautiful country in Central Europe! Definitely, visit the Busojáras happening in Mohacs in the Carnaval period (Fársang). This Unesco rated cultural event to bury the winter and welcoming spring (or is it to scare away the Ottoman oppressors?) is a once in a lifetime experience!

If you want to taste really delicious wine you should visit Villány or Palkonya. They are near Pécs, and have amazing wine. And you sould visit Nagykanizs for sure. It is a beautiful smaller town in the western part of Hungary. Oh and try some craft beer. They are soo good.

There are about 20+ wine regions with various type of wines, grapes, terroir.

Lake Balaton: There’s a full circle of bicycle track around the Lake making it a very nice tour for bikers (might have a night break at half way).

If you visit Badacsony also visit Szigliget next to it a picturesque hill town inhabited by lots of artists and a nice Balaton-panorama lookout castle ruin. From Badacsony take a 10 minute ferry ride.

Etyek: Town NW from Budapest with white wines and the Korda Stúdió which can be visited (need to contact them prior visit!), containing large open-air scenes, medieval city parts built for movies, etc.

Szeged: You’ll find many festivals all year Feb-Oct, beside the mentioned open air theatre in august (biggest in country) the biggest Wine festival is also placed here together with Szeged’s Day celebrations taking ca. 10 days in may every year. SZIN is a smaller Sziget like festival end of augusztus. Also spas, Aquapolis (great for for friends or family), Anna Fürdő (originális turkish bath architecture) with sauna, steam, etc.

Maybe it could be interesting to mention Csárda and Halász csárda which is sort of a traditional tavern of hungarian dishes. Halász csárda is specialized for fish related foods.

Pannonhalma should be visited on way tó Sopron for Example. Pannonhalma is a small town with a historical huge Abbey with huge nice library and a very interesting 8 storey winery with beautiful wines and an awarded restaurant next the Abbey.

Thank you for your ranking! I would like to recomend you Hódmezővásárhely (It means “Beaver field market place”). This is the first Citta Slow city in Hungary. And I’m affraid, you can find almost more cicylist in this city than in Amsterdam! :D For example you can take a bike trip to Mártély, near the Tisza river. And don’t forget: a lot of artist inspired this city. The nick name is “paraszt Párizs” it means “peasant Paris”, so this is the small capital of arts.

First of all, I would like to say thank you for listing all the attractive things about our country that you’ve found worth mentioning. This post gives a nice overview and helps us Hungarians to see how others see us.

Let me share my opinion regarding point no. 36. about the Hungarian language. The term “Finno-Ugric” is a political product created by those whose intention is to make us forget our real ancestors: the huns and scythians. Our language is one of the oldest ones, but maybe more importantly, reflects a totally different way how to describe the world around us. Its inner logic and beauty reveal itself for the language-learners and contradictory enough, not for Hungarians, who use it every day :-)

Another point could have been the so-called “szekely-magyar rovasiras” (Szekely-Hungarian runic writing), our unique, original writing method that did not use any latin letter.

I loved the article! The only thing I missed was Hajdúszoboszló, my hometown. Hajdúszoboszló is known for the bath complex, and this complex is the biggest one in Europe. You should definitely visit it one day,it’s 100% worth it. The prices aren’t so high either.

Thank you for bringing me home for like ten minutes. I’m so proud of my country for these things. While I was reading your article, I wanted to get an airplane right now, and go home, and never leave again.:) Although, I would add Túró Rudi, which is way better than Sport chocholate bar.:) Greatings from Germany. :)

I was born in Hungary, and in 1956 my mother and I risked our lives to escape to the west to live a better life. But I’m still fond of Hungarian food. I think you left out mákos tészta (poppy seed noodles), a favorite of children (and grown-up children) You wrote a nice piece!